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The British racing driver stated he is immensely proud of the approach in which he won his inaugural Formula One drivers' title, emphasizing after emotional celebrations with his team and family that he was happy to have succeeded "his way".

Norris underscored that he feels he raced cleanly and without excessive aggression, a philosophy for which he has faced criticism for not displaying the much-discussed "ruthless edge". He maintains that winning the championship demonstrates such an mentality is unnecessary.

The 26-year-old secured the championship with a P3 finish at the season finale, beating Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a mere two points. The Dutch driver took the checkered flag but could not overcome the lead the McLaren driver held going into the last race.

"This is an aspect that I am most proud of," he commented. "I feel like I have just managed to win it the way I wanted to, which was not by being someone I’m not."

Norris added, "Not trying to be as aggressive as Max or as forceful as other title-winners might have been historically, I’m content. I just won it my way – by being a sportsmanlike driver, by trying to be an respectful driver."

A Tense Conclusion

Norris also conceded that, although he seemed calm, the final laps were incredibly tense.

"I was composed until three corners to go, then I started to shake a bit," he said. "Then I got to see the team after taking the flag is a moment that I’ll never forget."

An Incredible Turnaround

Norris's path to the championship involved a remarkable recovery from being 34 points behind of then-leader Oscar Piastri in the summer. A DNF in the Dutch Grand Prix became a major catalyst.

"I was like: ‘Oh no. I’m quite a long way behind against a pretty freaking fast driver, and I’ve got to step it up,’" Norris explained. "I got to be more myself because of external factors, bringing in more professionals in different areas to unlock more of my potential."

Rival Reactions

The Red Bull Driver's View

Max Verstappen took only positives from his team's performances, having mounted a comeback from a massive points gap. Verstappen felt they had given their all against a McLaren that was the superior package.

"Yeah, I think so, I have no regrets about my season," Verstappen stated. "The performance has been strong. I’ve hated this car at times, but I’ve also loved it at times."

Yet, the driver responded tersely when asked about a controversial incident at the Spanish GP where a time punishment cost him valuable points.

"People overlook all the other events that happened," he retorted. "The title is won over 24 rounds... I have also had a lot of lucky breaks come my way."

Oscar Piastri: Lessons Learned

The visibly dejected Oscar Piastri, who was in front for much of the season, admitted he would learn from the defeat.

"Naturally I would have wished for a different ending," Piastri said. "However I think this year I’ve learned an enormous amount about myself as a driver and as a person... In the end there’s a touch of disappointment but I think I can be extremely pleased."